Preparing for Graduation 2023 (for Graduate Students) (OVPLS Memo)

3 March 2023

 On 2 March 2023, I announced that the Baccalaureate Mass and Commencement Exercises for Batch 2023 would be held onsite at the Ateneo High School Covered Courts on Friday, 30 June 2023 (Baccalaureate Mass, LS-wide Commencement Rites, GBSEALD/SOH/SOSS Graduation) and Saturday, 1 July 2023 (JGSOM/SOSE Graduation). We are releasing the following reminders and guidelines in preparation for these commencement exercises.

1. Members of the graduating batch of 2023 are those who completed their degrees
   1. at the end of Intersession 2022
   2. at the end of the 1st Semester SY 2022-2023
   3. at the end of the 2nd Semester SY 2022-2023
       
2. Eligibility Requirements for Graduation:
   1. Graduate Students (from p. 62 of Graduate Student Handbook 2019)
      In order to be officially considered as graduates of the Ateneo de Manila University- Loyola Schools and obtain official academic records from the Office of the Registrar, students must have:
      • completed all the academic requirements in their curriculum program of study. In general, these include: completing all the coursework units, passing the comprehensive examinations or their equivalent, defending the thesis/dissertation successfully, submitting the final revised copies of the thesis/dissertation/capstone project, and complying with their program’s dissemination and publication requirement.
      • submitted the admission credentials required by the Office of the Registrar
      • settled all financial and other obligations to the Loyola Schools, and;
      • obtained clearance from offices in the Loyola Schools (note: The Office of the Registrar will issue a separate memo on the Clearance Process for Graduating Students)
         
3. Release of Diplomas and Transcripts
   1. The Office of the Registrar will be releasing the following documents immediately after the graduation ceremonies. Releasing counters will be stationed in designated classrooms of the Ateneo Junior High School.
      • Hard copy of diploma
      • English translation of diploma
   2. The Office of the Registrar Office will release Transcripts of Records electronically beginning Thursday, 1 June 2023.
       
4. Rental/Purchase of Togas
   1. Official Supplier of LS Togas
      Digilearn Multimedia Corp. (formerly known as GSA Academic Regalia Shop or Cattleya), is the Loyola Schools’ supplier of academic caps and gowns (togas) for graduation.
       
   2. Schedule of Toga Measurement
      Toga measurement is scheduled on the following dates at Kostka Extension:
      
      13-18 March 2023 (Mon-Sat)
      9:00am to 4:00pm
      
      Students must present their BDO/BPI deposit slip/online transfer confirmation or a printout of their GCash payment receipt to Digilearn personnel who will issue provisional receipts. The deposit slip or printed copy of the online payment must show the date of payment and reference/transaction number. NO DEPOSIT SLIP OR PRINTOUT, NO TOGA MEASUREMENT.
       
   3. Online Toga Measurements for fully online students and Intersession or 1st Semester SY 2022-2023 graduates
      Graduating students who have been approved for fully online classes or those who are considered Intersession or 1st Semester SY 2022-2023 graduates have the option of submitting their toga measurements online though this Google Form:
      
      http://go.ateneo.edu/LSBatch2023TogaForm
      
      Toga measurement instructions may be found in the Google Form. Students should use a tape measure when getting their measurements. The unit of measurement must be in centimeters (cm.). For MA/MS/Master and PhD/Doctor togas, the following measurements are needed: head circumference, shoulder to shoulder, shoulder to wrist, neck to mid-calf, height.
       
   4. Rental Rates
      MA/MS/Master graduates        P900
      PhD/Doctor graduates              P1,200
       
   5. Option to Purchase Togas
      Graduating students who would like to purchase their own toga sets from Digilearn Multimedia Corp. may do so at the following rates:
      MA/MS/Master                             P9,000
      PhD/Doctor                                   P11,000
       
   6. Payment Options
      Online or over-the-counter deposits may be made through BDO or BPI. GCash payments (using Digilearn’s QR code) are also accepted. Students will be asked to present their proof of transfer or deposit during toga measurement. Students are instructed to pay the rental fee before they proceed for toga measurement.
      
      Here are the payment details:
      
      Bank Name: BDO
      Account Name: Digilearn Multimedia Corp.
      Account Type: Peso Savings Account
      Account Number: 002-650-392-025
      
      Bank Name: Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI)
      Account Name: Digilearn Multimedia Corp.
      Account Type: Peso Savings Account
      Account Number: 003-211-086-547
      
      GCash Account name: Digilearn Multimedia Corp.
      GCash QR Code:
       

       

      

       

      
      IMPORTANT: For over-the-counter payments, please keep your deposit slip. This will be your proof of payment.
      
      Those who wish to pay online should print a copy of the funds transfer or GCash confirmation. The printout will serve as proof of payment.
       
   7. Release of togas
      • Togas will be available for pick-up during the graduation rehearsals on Saturday, 24 June 2023. The rehearsal will be held at the Ateneo High School Covered Courts.
        
        8:00am-12:00nn Graduation Rehearsals for GBSEALD, SOH, SOSS
        1:00-5:00 pm Graduation Rehearsals for JGSOM and SOSE
         
      • Those who are unable to claim their togas during the graduation rehearsals have two options for claiming their togas:
        • Pick-up unclaimed togas from Digilearn representatives before the Baccalaureate Mass on 30 June 2023. The venue will be announced at a later date.
        • Pick-up unclaimed togas from the Digital Multimedia Corp. office
          Note: Students may coordinate directly with Digilearn. Please find their contact details below.
          
          DIGILEARN MULTIMEDIA CORP.
          102 Southeast Ipil St., Marikina Heights, Marikina City
          
          LOCATION PIN: 102 SE Ipil St. Marikina Heights
          Contact nos. 7625-6989, 09177160949
          Email address: academicregalia@digilearn.com.ph
          Office hours: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday to Friday
                                 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on Saturdays
           
   8. Return of togas and penalty fees
      To avoid penalty fees, students must return their togas immediately after graduation in their designated rooms for diploma distribution.
      
      Digilearn will charge the following late return fees for graduates who will fail to return their togas immediately after graduation. The following late return fees will apply for togas returned from 3-5 July 2023:
      
      MA/MS/Master/PhD/Doctor graduates P 500 per day of late return
      
      Return of togas and payment of penalty fees must be made directly to the office of Digilearn and not to any office on campus.
      
      Upon return of the toga and payment of the penalty fee, Digilearn will issue an official receipt. This official receipt is to be presented at the Office of the Registrar when claiming the diploma. NO OFFICIAL RECEIPT, NO RELEASE OF DIPLOMA.
       
   9. Lost togas
      Togas not returned by Wednesday, 5 July 2023 will be considered lost. Digilearn will charge the graduate a lost toga fee of:
      
      MA/MS/Master graduates        P 7,000
      PhD/Doctor graduates              P 9,000
      
      Payment of the lost toga fee must be made directly to the office of Digilearn and not to any office on campus.
      
      Upon payment of the lost toga penalty fee, Digilearn will issue an official receipt. This official receipt is to be presented at the Office of the Registrar when claiming the diploma. NO OFFICIAL RECEIPT, NO RELEASE OF DIPLOMA.
       
   10. Important Notice
       Issuance of the official toga of the Ateneo de Manila University, or wearing the same, does not serve as evidence of a student’s status, enrollment, or graduation from the Loyola Schools. It is not in any way an authority to graduate a particular student from a course nor proof that a student has satisfied the requirements for graduation.

More details about graduation will be released in the coming months. All graduation-related memos may be accessed through this portal: http://go.ateneo.edu/pagtatapos2023. Please be guided accordingly.

Thank you.